Tuesday, October 30, 2012

FULTON SCIENCE ACADEMY ELEMENTARY GRADES HAD

A FARMTASTIC DAY AT THE ARTBARN

Fulton Science Academy elementary grade students visited Farmer Sue and her fabulous Art Barn on Tuesday, October 30. All the kids participated in a hayride, watched a cool video on sheering sheep, had a picnic lunch, and created a painting in the Art Barn! However, the BEST part about visiting the Art Barn was learning about and interacting with all of the rescued animals on the farm. From baby chicks to donkeys, this farm has friendly animals in all shapes and sizes!

Monday, October 29, 2012

We are pleased to inform our community that Georgia State University BioBus program will be visiting Fulton Science Academy on November 14.

Georgia State University’s Bio-Bus is a mobile laboratory that travels to Georgia schools and presents hands-on, inquiry-based activities designed to get K-12 students enthusiastic about science.Visits are staffed by “Bio-Bus Fellows,” graduate students and undergraduates who enjoy sharing their love of science with younger learners. Since its inception in 1999, the Bio-Bus program has made over 2000 visits to schools in 31 Georgia counties, and in the process has presented exciting science experiences to more than 250,000 students.Our goal is not only to educate, but also to show students that science can be intriguing, interesting and, most of all, FUN.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

In the current moment of economic uncertainty, America is once again turning to innovation as the silver bullet to ensure a prosperous future. Yet innovation still seems tightly coupled with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – the STEM subjects. Art and design are poised to transform our economy in the 21st century like science and technology did in the last century. We need to add art and design to turn STEM into STEAM.

STEM + Art = STEAM

Below is a recent STEAM discussion video from one of the champions of the STEAM movement, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

Saturday, October 27, 2012

After a
long study and practice of AMC-8 problems, Fulton Science Academy Math Olympiad
students gave a break and played a strategy game called NIM. Nim is a two-player mathematical game of strategy in which
players take turns removing objects from distinct heaps. On each turn, a player
must remove at least one object, and may remove any number of objects provided
they all come from the same heap. The key is to keep in mind how many
pieces are in each pile, what your opponent's options are, and what the number
in each pile might be several moves ahead. For example, you have to prevent
your opponent from leaving you with only two piles with one piece in each.
Planning and calculating are essential. Of course this is the most difficult
version of the game. Math Olympiad students advanced to more difficult levels
as they figured out some strategies for easy ones.

The name of this game comes from the German word for "take," and games similar to Nim have existed for centuries. A Harvard mathematician "solved" the game in 1901, calculating a perfect winning strategy using a binary number system. Even the earliest computers were able to play the game. It's claimed that a 1942 invention for playing Nim may be the oldest electronic game in existence.

Usually the game is played with five piles. You can use matches, coins or just marks on a piece of paper. Playing with different number of piles is also possible. You can switch the whole game around so that the person who takes the last piece loses. Ipad /iphone version of the game is available as well.

It sounds simple, but Nim strategy is very tricky. You'll find your head spinning with numbers as you try to take and leave the right number of items. There is no easy formula to guide you but your feel for the game.

5. You will be contacted within two weeks of your child's assessment date about the admission status of your child.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

Fulton Science Academy Private School is deeply committed to providing a rigorous STEAM (Science Technology Engineering, Arts and Math) program. We foster creativity, innovation, and diversity. Our goal is to create well informed global citizens. In making our admissions decisions, the most important factors considered are:

1. Student grades

2. Previous class placement

3. Current Teacher Evaluation

4. Student standardized test and nationally norm test results

5. Student's FSAPS assessment results

6. Student/Parent Interview

Applicants to FSA Private School are considered for admission based on a variety of factors which include student assessments, transcripts, test scores and recommendations of teachers.

FSA Private School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, athletics, or other school-administered programs.

Students attending FSA Private School typically have these characteristics:

1. A cumulative overall GPA of 85 or higher (advanced placement is taken into consideration)

2. In the subjects of Math & Science an average of 90 or higher (advanced placement is taken into consideration

3. Students who originally attended a Georgia public school system, achieved an exceeding CRCT score in most subjects, especially Math & Science

Note: Reasonable accommodations can be made for students provided parents take financial responsibility for additional services and the accommodations made do not interfere with classroom instruction and/or require additional staffing. (For example speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

We have just received the great news that FSA 7th grader, Alice Qiao won Gold Medal in the 2013 South Atlantic Regional Championships at the Intermediate Ladies division today, Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012. Alice is not only a superstar student but an ice skating champion as well!

There are 87 figure skaters competed at 2013 South Atlantic Regional Figure Skating Championships at Intermediate level. These skaters came from east coast of U.S., all the way from Pennsylvania down to South Florida. After one-year's hard-work, they were hunting for 4 seats to advance to Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships at Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Alice will compete with 11 other girls in the 2013 Eastern Sectional Championships Nov. 8 – Nov. 12, 2012 in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The top 4 skaters from that competition will compete with 8 other girls from the other two US sections in the 2013 National Championships, January 20-27, 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Help us wish Alice good luck with her upcoming competitions.

At Fulton Science Academy Private School we are proud to see that our students excel not only academically, but in many other areas of life.

Congratulations to Alice and her parents for this wonderful achievement.

Please see a video of Alice from a previous ice skating competition here.